Leprosy on the Scalp: A Case Report
October 2016
in “
Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia
”
TLDR A man from Brazil had a rare case of leprosy on his scalp, which improved with treatment.
In 2016, a case report was published about an 18-year-old male from Olinda, Brazil, who developed leprosy with rare scalp involvement. Leprosy, caused by Mycobacterium leprae, typically avoids the scalp due to its higher temperatures and anatomical characteristics that hinder the spread of the bacterium. The patient presented with erythematous scaly plaques on his foot, thigh, and scalp, with the scalp lesion showing alopecia. Histopathology revealed a lymphohistiocytic inflammatory infiltrate with granulomas around the neurovascular plexus and skin appendages. Despite negative mycological tests and Ziehl-Neelsen stain, the patient's response to multidrug therapy for multibacillary leprosy was positive, resulting in lesion resolution, scalp hair regrowth, and improved paresthesia. This case highlighted the possibility of leprosy affecting the scalp, particularly in patients without androgenetic alopecia, and the importance of considering leprosy in differential diagnoses for scalp lesions.
